Quest of Flames
by AncientDirgeDragon
Summary: This is the story of a young wizard's coming of age in one of the realms of Magic.


Magic:The Gathering is a trade mark of Wizards of theCoast andI claim no ownership. Characters not of the Magic:The Gathering belong to me and the old lady in the shoe. Once again... don't sue me.

Quest of Flames

Chapter 1

The red wizard was almost to his limit. He'd depleted most of his mana reserves fending off the last wave of attacks. His enemy had access to hordes of creatures and showed little signs of ceasing his continuous assault. He peered across the battlefield and could barely distinguish his opponent from the foliage that had arisen from the use of green mana. Around him was the burnt out husk of what used to be a lush plain, aftermath of the use of his red magic. The last of the green mage's insects popped and its remains withered to ash.

The mountainous, craggy ground the red wizard stood upon flared to life and he could once again feel the call of his native magic. His blue eyes began to glow in unison with his rekindled aura. Concentrating he recalled the two spells he desired. He reached into the chaotic retro-matter from which all magic derived and called forth a tiny but stout rough skinned Goblin. The ground lost some if its radiance and he could feel his link to the red magic weaken. A gush of lava burst upward out of the ground in a geyser like display. As the molten rock dissipated a Hill Giant stood in its wake. Suffering from summoning sickness the Hill Giant stood stock still in an attempt to regain its equilibrium. The Goblin on the other hand suffered no such ill effects from arriving out of nothingness and was eager to reap havoc within the enemy ranks. The red wizard raised a restraining hand.

As quick as lightening the burning ground cooled and his link to the red mana relinquished. Across the field the sounds of jungle animals and nature, which until this moment had been little more than a whisper, grew to a loud roar. The green mage wasted little time conjuring two Elf Warriors. As the creatures materialized from the retro-matter they fed into the powers of the green mage's Wirewood Hivemaster. With a wave of his hands two fat insects added themselves to the green army. The four newly summoned creatures suffered from the dizzying affects of summoning sickness, but the eight insects that were held in reserve had no such difficulties. The red wizard could hear the huge bugs hissing and charging across the field long before he could see them.

The first three insects to come within range were met by fatal shards of lightning cast by the red wizard. The scorched ground where they once stood was the only testament to their memory. The other continued onward with no acknowledgment to the devastation visited among them. The eager Goblin was the first to confront the attackers, his rusted sword flashing. Though smaller than the big bug the little Goblin easily severed one of the creature's limbs. Not to be outdone the Giant effortlessly crushed one of the bugs underfoot and made short pulpy work of another. Gleeful that he'd had the forethought to reserve a small amount of mana the red wizard engulfed the two unengaged insects in a river of furious flames. The wizard sensed an onrush of green magic only a moment before the last remaining insect was hit with a dose of Giant Growth. Except for its disembodied leg, the already gigantic creature stretched and bulged to more than twice its size. Even armed the Goblin didn't stand a chance. Using the last of his mana reserves the red wizard sent a geyser of flame screaming across the field in hopes of immolating his opponent unaware. The green mage was his squarely in the chest but managed to keep his footing. Even as his robes sizzled with flames a burst of green magic leaped forth from his hands and not only dowsed the flames but also revitalized him.

The red magic returned to the ground in a resurgence of molten rock. A little more of the still grassy center of the battlefield was claimed by the volcanic ash and rock. In the center of a rushing river of lava stood the red wizard, Dorgag. Before him on a piece of land raised above the killing liquid was the Hill Giant the Goblin had been partly devoured by the enhanced insect and returned to the retro-matter from which it came, its sword was claimed by the hungry lava. The Giant looked back at Dorgag and waited for the command to attack. Dorgag yearned to set the hulk loose but exercising restraint uncommon in practitioners of the red arts he reframed. If he lost the Giant he would be without a line of defense. Using all of the mana available to him the red wizard summoned three more angry and eager goblins. The fires again died down and the burning land went dormant.

The cacophonous bleating of the wilderness was pierced by the cry of a scaled monstrosity summoned by the green mage. Dorgag laughed as he thought about his fortune. Traveling alone for the first time he had intended to explore the outer reaches of the Horn Till Forest with the hopes of testing his power against on of its many beasts. Halfway to his destination he was confronted by a mage claiming to be a guardian of the Horn Till. When asked what exactly he guarded it from the mage replied that it was from filth from the mountains. Dorgag had no objections to the name-calling but did take offense to the mage's insinuation that he or any of his nature loving friends could possibly defend anything from the likes of his clan. He liked the name Filth and was even entertaining the idea of choosing it as his true name during his advancement ceremony at the next Moon Rite. The two had been fighting for more than an hour and neither had scored more than a glancing blow. The green mage was proving to be quite formidable.

A green aura engulfed the scaled beast and when it pulled away the creature was covered in thick bark armor. The beast again roared but showed no signs of advancing. The two Elf Warriors took flanking positions around the Wirewood Hivemaster and stoically awaited combat. The green mage decided that it wasn't yet their time. Instead the insects charged the field once more. The first was met by the Hill Giant and quickly churned into paste. The second thanks to an infusion of Giant Growth was able to dispatch one of the Goblin Trio before he was destroyed. The third was ripped apart by goblin steel; his remaining legs fell lifeless where the first goblin had fallen. Reveling in the success of his growing force Dorgag pushed back his mounting fatigue.

The lava returned and spread a little more across the grassy plain. It claimed the flotsam and jetsam of the last clash with indifference. Calling on his increasing supply of red mana the red wizard conjured another pair of goblins and a second Hill Giant. The Goblins lined themselves in front of the Giants anticipating the imminent battle with the bark-armored beast. The ground continued to steadily pulse with magma as if Dorgag had barely used any of its offered power. Grinning maliciously he raised his hands to the sky and spread his fingers wide. The ground beneath him began to shake fiercely. He brought his hands down violently and pushed the mounting hot air before him forward. The ground behind the red wizard split open and spewed tons of white-hot stone and boiling molten rock miles into the air. The Hill Giants grinned and the Goblins cheered as the mass of conflagrated earth soared briskly through the sky. The green mage and his horde dove for cover but the Stone Rain's target wasn't any of their number. Dorgag was aiming for the source of the green mana. The ground again shook as the trees and bushes, which had been forcing their way toward his volcanic terrain, was smashed to dust by his destructive spell. When the smoke cleared only a fraction of the lush greenery that once graced the landscape remained. The fires again died down and the burning land was asleep once more.

The green mage rose and was silhouetted by the dying vegetation behind him. He knelt down on a single knee and bowed his head in concentration. From the ash and scorched earth around him sprung up bushes and a few sturdy saplings. The call of green mana strengthened but was only an echo of its former power. Depleting his entire supply of magic he summoned two Elfish Pioneers. The creatures materialized a foot above the ground and landed noisily. As their feet touched the desecrated land magic seeped down into the very bones of the world. Trees and foliage fought its way out of the ashen ground and climbed toward the heavens. The wild noises returned but only for a brief moment before the call of the green mana died down.

With out the rumble and his of melting rock or the roars and growls of rousted nature the battlefield was eerily silent. The green mage rose and mourned the destruction of his burgeoning forest. Dorgag could sense the outrage of the guardian and scoffed at the wielder of green mana's infirmity. The lovers of the forest were reputed by the masters of the mountain to be weak hearted and fragile of soul. They spent so much time kissing and fornicating with the trees and other woodland denizens that they'd become soft. At least that is what all the young of his clan was taught. He couldn't dispute the evidence before him. The man was definitely less hardy than the youngest of his clan's women children. Yet his power was far from puny. Dorgag had dispatched wizards twice the size of the guardian without breaking a sweat, but the mage had come close to killing him more than twice already.

The Goblins grew excited and the sound of charging insects was unmistakably in the distance. A roar pierced the air and the beast charged the red wizard's defenses at an alarming pace. It easily out distanced the four insects within seconds. A rather ugly Goblin brandishing a rusting spear was the first to meet charging death. His spear imbedded itself through two of the creature's toes before his bones cracked and innards smeared the ground. The bark-armored beast continued on as if it had never met the unfortunate Goblin and his toothpick like weapon. Another little Goblin attempted to deter the beast and was quickly squashed underfoot. The creature continued to stab the beast long after his brain had been pressed into mush. Demoralized the remaining two Goblins veered out of the path of charging death deciding that engaging the swiftly approaching insects would be safer.

The beast was almost upon Dorgag when the larger of the two Hill Giants hammered his fist into the side of the creature's jaw. Slightly dazed the beast stumbled momentarily before turning its attention to it formidable foe. Protected by the bark armor the beast received only a portion of the punishment delivered by the attacking Giant. As Dorgag watched, the Hill Giant pummeled the beast with blow after blow and kick after kick, each collision causing the red wizards cowl to flutter as if caught in a breeze. Chunks of the armor crumbled away in response to the continued assault. The bloodthirsty Giant raised its massive fist to deliver another blow when the beast's tail wrapped around his beefy forearm and wrenched it back with enough force to pop it out of the socket, leaving it slack and useless. The Giant brought down blow after blow upon the beast's armored back. The armor cracked in a myriad of places but held firm. Using its leverage the armored beast swung up and onto the Hill Giant's back placing itself out of harms way. The forest creature used its impressive strength to bend the Giant's spine back at an impossible angle. One of the huge insects managed to elude the defending Goblins and was almost upon Dorgag before it met its demise at the boots of an angry Hill Giant. A loud crack signaled the breaking of the larger Hill Giant's back. The Giant released a single cry of pain before the beast snapped its jaws and permanently extinguished his flame. The armored beast issued a triumphant roar before retreating to the safety of the forest. Nature sang out in praise to her returning champion.

The fires that rekindled beneath his feet were nothing compared to the rage burning within his heart. Angry and dismayed by the green mage's show of power Dorgag threw his head back and emitted an inarticulate yell of frustration. He absorbed more mana than he'd ever tapped into before. The rush of power was exhilarating. The world took on a sharper more detailed form where he could read the thoughts of his summoned creatures and taste their anticipation. Dorgag pointed his finger and focused his mind on a single thought, destruction. One of the Elf Warriors exploded in a shower of charred flesh and smoking leaves. The bolt of lightning that tore it apart found its resting place in the head of the Elfish Pioneer behind him. Pioneer dropped soundlessly to the ground, dead before he knew what hit him. Reaching into the void that was retro- matter Dorgag grabbed hold of the pulse of life that he desired. When his mind grasped the tendrils of consciousness floating within the nothing of pre-creation he pulled backwards, dragging the creature into existence. Lightning struck the ground before him and remained in tall and lanky humanoid forms. The Lightning Elementals looked to Dorgag for instructions with no sign of summoning sickness. Still full of unused mana the red wizard called forth three more Goblins and an Ogre. The little creatures were unaffected by their summoning much like the Elementals but the Ogre was dazed and confused.

Dorgag gave the command of which he had craved. He gave the order to attack and accentuated it with three white shafts of lightning. One missed completely, striking a tree within the burgeoning forest. The other two hit the infuriating burst of green magic that restored and revitalized. Finally the green mage was put on the defensive. The Elementals moved like the light they were composed. The three new Goblins and one of the veteran Goblins followed swiftly behind. The beast leaped forward ready to test his bark armor against the devastating power of living lightning. The Elfish Pioneer and the Elf Warrior charged the oncoming attackers.

The Lightning Elementals marched directly toward the green mage with no regards to the terrain or any other obstacles in their way. As the lead Elemental moved closer to its target it had no compulsions to move out of the way of the oncoming elves. Pure energy in the form of a foot moved over the ground in which the Pioneer was defending and as it continued pass the Elf was no more. Its companion followed in its wake, also trailing swift death. The Elf Warrior dove aside to avoid an end as quick as lightning and landed in the path of the charging Goblins. His face acquired a grim and resigned expression when he raised his wooden staff to defend himself. The first Goblin lunged for the Elf's chest with a pair of decrepit daggers. The staff deflected the mortal blow and the Goblin was greeted with a solid blow to the top of the head. The creature went down in a heap. Unable to defend against the two oncoming Goblins that were preparing to retaliate for the death of their compatriot the Elf was ready for death. As the Goblins raised their swords high to deliver a joined coup de grace the two remaining insects tackled them. Stunned for less than a second the Elf stood and tossed his staff like a javelin into the thigh of the last Goblin. The Goblin collapsed as it was held pinned to the ground by the staff, which had buried itself in the loose topsoil. The creature struggled feebly to remove the weapon but to no avail. The Elf rushed forward and smashed the Goblin's skull with a large stone. The Goblin looked up into the Elf's face and grinned crookedly, showing a batch of ragged teeth. The Goblin swung his sword in an attempt to disembowel his enemy and the Elf brought the stone to bear once more.

The first Elemental collided with the beast full of a mindless, machine-like determination. Its fist of pure energy dropped down on the beasts back with great force. The creature's roar was one of pain for the first time in its short existence. The bark armor blackened and sprouted flames. The beast swatted at the Elemental with his tail, using the appendage like a whip. The Elemental stumbled backward; head lifted toward the heavens and vanished with a blast of displaced air. The bodies of the felled Goblins and the dying Elf were thrown around like rag dolls. The green mage and his Wirewood Hivemaster held their ground with a little effort. Dorgag laughed sinisterly and was joined by the remaining Goblin, the Ogre and the Giant. The beast shook off the burnt husk that had once acted as his armor and spun around to charge the second Elemental. The creature of lightning fell on the beast like a sledgehammer and with a loud explosion both disappeared in waves of displaced air. Dorgag was pleased though none of his troops returned.

The blazing earth settled as the trees broke forth with screaming and chirping nature. The tree line extended, reclaiming the ground it had lost to the Stone Rain. Dorgag relaxed and waited. He knew that the mage wouldn't want to waste his Hivemaster in a futile attack and anything else summoned by the green magic would be susceptible to summoning sickness. The green mage summoned four Taunting Elves, which fueled the Wirewood Hivemaster's ability to summon four more huge insects. The green mage then turned to face the trees and called forth from retro-matter a Lone Wolf. The K9 growled but kept his tail tucked between his legs, it was feeling too woozy to strike. The forest choir quieted as the mage drained its borders of mana. Dorgag felt the green mage reserve a small portion of power within.

A small part of Dorgag sensed that the end was near. As arrogant as any child of the mountains, he had no doubt that his abilities far surpassed his rival. Yet he was gripped by the sinking feeling that the green mage might manage to destroy him. For the first time in his twenty winters Dorgag was afraid. Never before had he tasted fear. Not during his eighth winter when his clan was beset by three united tribes of Goblins, out manned and out maneuvered. Not when for his sixteenth winter he had to prove his right to become a wizard by stealing the egg of a sleeping Red Dragon. Not even when the Dragon awakened and attacked his camp in search of its child. But now, as he stood facing a Horn Till Forest Guardian across a twisted battlefield, he was frightened.

The ground came to explosive, burning and melting life for what Dorgag felt in his fiery soul to be the last time. He looked around and reveled in the carnage. He admired the view. The once grassy plain was no more. In its place sat scorched earth and liquid rock. Even the collection of trees around the green mage was more appealing than the rolling plains that once were. Dorgag reached into the untapped supply of mana resting within each burning pool, and barren rock. Brimming with magic energies he thrust his mind into the void and searched for four minds that would fit his criteria. Within moments he found a group of appropriate targets and used his mental hands to grab hold and wrench them out of the nothingness of retro-matter. Four Goblins materialized before him brandishing wickedly curved and rusted cutlery. Already veteran of numerous skirmishes, the preexisting Goblin barked formation instructions at the new arrivals and was swiftly obeyed. The little creatures arrayed themselves in a manner that would allow the larger Ogre and Giant room to maneuver with little chance of accident. Dorgag's blue eyes still glowed with the inner workings of mana but he kept that power bottled up. He had more than enough to summon a slue of Lightning Elementals but their die fast and hard attitude might backfire and leave the red mage with no means of defending himself when the time came. He preferred to be prepared with magic that he could release in an instant.

The ground continued to burn beneath Dorgag even as the forest let loose with a cacophony of yelps, cries and baying. The green mage drew his hands together and concentrated on a patch of land before the burning lands. A peculiar hazy mist crept from his hands to accumulate Before Dorgag's horde. The mist floated for a while and then melted into the ground. Puzzled the Goblins searched for something to fight. Dorgag too wondered what treachery the mage held up his sleeve. Suddenly the ground shock, but not in the earth rattling, fire belching manner in which the wizard was accustomed. This rumbling seemed more nature somehow. A path of greenery began to form and the boiling rock and craggy outcroppings started to fade away. The creatures born of red mana retreated from the advancing grass like it was a deadly plague. Within seconds there had opened a clear route for his enemy's creatures to reach him. Under closer inspection the greenery appeared to be mold and not grass. Preoccupied with the green mage's strategies Dorgag almost missed the telltale sound of onrushing bugs.

The four huge bugs skittered forward swiftly aim directly for the cleared path. Behind them branched out the Taunting Elves casting insults and curses at the slightly unnerved Goblins. Angered the undisciplined, newly summoned Goblins charged their verbal assailers. Stalking slowly behind the crowd of insect and Elf was the Lone Wolf. The wolf caught Dorgag's eye and in its gaze the red wizard saw his demise. The veteran Goblin was the first to fill the breach. The Goblin had survived the beast and countless insect assaults but finally met his end under the charging feet of the second huge bug. The first died by his sword. His brethren were making short work of the Taunting Elves but the elves had done their job. The Goblins were distracted and unable to defend their master.

The Ogre and Hill Giant both engaged the bugs with brutal efficiency. A multi-legged creature was smeared across the mold when an eerie light pierced the sky and the bugs were bathed in a bright green light. Echoing Courage. The two remaining bugs grew to gargantuan proportions and were suddenly quite a match for the giants. The Wolf howled its victory and broke into a brisk lope that would swiftly bring it to Dorgag with no opposition. The green mage pushed forth his last bit of mana as a dosage of Giant Growth. The Wolf's muscles bulged and its fangs stretched into huge razor sharp sickles. The Lone Wolf doubled in size and in response its speed increased exponentially as well. The Taunting Elves were unarmed and the Goblins were bloodthirsty. One Goblin received the business end of another's spear when they impaled a particularly annoying elf. With his dying breath the Hill Giant punched a gaping hole through the center of the humungous bug that suffocated it. The Lone Wolf reached the opening and forded ahead with death dripping from its fangs. The massacre was complete with the Goblins rejoicing at the death of the elves. Too late did they notice the error of their reckless charge. As stupid as Goblins were even they realized they would reach Dorgag too late to be of any help. The Ogre held three of the bug's legs in each hand. It stretched its massively muscled arms and tore the insect in half. Green innards and puss-like goop coated the behemoth, as a fur colored bullet burst pass. The red wizard was so puny and the titanic Lone Wolf was so hungry.

Dorgag drew his spiked flail and swung with all of his might at the advancing predator. The flail imbedded itself deeply into the creatures shoulder but didn't slow it down. His momentum pulled him slightly askew of the Wolf's gaping maw. The creature snapped its jaws hoping to crush the red wizard's head but only managed to catch his arm in a vice-like grip. The pain was excruciating and blood was everywhere. A scream caught in Dorgag's throat as he dropped to his knees. The immense Wolf slowly closed its mouth taking meticulous steps to ensure the destruction of the red wizard's appendage. A nerve-shattering crunch informed Dorgag that he would never have use of the arm again. The Lone Wolf placed a huge paw on the wizard's shoulder, crushing him to the floor. The end had finally come.

Dorgag would never be able to claim his own name during the Moon Rite. He would never feel the warm caress of red mana coursing through his veins. He would never be considered an eligible bachelor among his tribe with a name and experience out in the world. Instead he would die on the fields four nights journey from his home at the hands of a _guardian_. A MAGE. AN INFERIOR. This was not an end befitting a red wizard. This was an end fit for a dog. Dorgag was no dog. He was no Wolf's chew toy. He was Dorgag of the Cliff's End Clan and would not fall to a whelp calling himself Guardian. Never.

The mana held within swelled and then poured from every opening. Red light erupted from his open mouth, his eyes and his nose. The palms of his hands, both the injured and uninjured, shone with a crimson radiance. Even the ravaged meat that had once been his arm leaked pulsing energy like water dripping from a well. Dorgag visualized death, an all engulfing all effacing death, a total and final extermination. As the Wolf crippled his arm forever he called forth a ball of dragon's fire from retro-matter. He walled off a part of his mind from the pain and cast the orb of blazing finality. He placed his free hand on the belly of the Lone Wolf and released more stored mana into the spell than he had every imagined possible. The pressure on his damaged arm eased and the Wolf had a moment to cry out before it was blasted into oblivion by an orb of incredible blue/white flame.

Parts of the wizard's robe and the lower portions of his useless arm burnt to ash in an instant. The process was so quick that by the time his body reacted to the shock his arm was already particles rising in the wake of the blazing Fireball. He fell back against the rocks clutching his cauterized stump. The edges of his vision darkened but Dorgag clung hard to consciousness. Death flashed across the battlefield devouring everything it fell upon. The ball of fire emitted an odd wail akin to the screams of hundreds dying. The Goblins fled its path in fear but the Ogre lacked the luxury of being a good distance away. Its lumbering form attempted in vain to get out of the path of destruction. The screaming flames passed over the large creature and left a few charred bones to litter the earth. The roiling flames accumulated momentum as they soared through the air, by the time they'd passed the craggy lands of the red wizard they were like an arrow shot by Mars his self.

Following the use of the last bit of his mana reserves the green mage had dropped to his knees exhausted. The Wirewood Hivemaster had run to his side to help him up when the screaming of onrushing chaos became audible. The green mage could see the forms of Goblins scurrying for cover. The Horn Till Forest Guardian gritted his teeth and straightened his posture. He concentrated on he trees around him and the bushes that cluttered the ground. He focused on the leaves that lined the ground and even the Elf standing before him. Within all of these things resided green mana but even when he attempted to combine the individual mana wells he was unable to acquire enough for even the most mundane of spells. He was tapped out. Death drew closer and he knew that his time had come. The green mage dropped to his knees once more but this time to pray. He prayed for the prosperity of the forest, the long life of his wife and children and even the continued good fortune of his victorious adversary. The Guardian had no regrets for he had lived a good life in the service of the Horn Till and he would be remembered by the trees in which he'd given his life defending.

The wailing of the flames was deafening. The leaves and forest floor flotsam burst into flames from the intense heat. The Guardian's robes were ablaze but he ignored that. His skin was starting to peel but he ignored that as well. His mind was for the family he would leave behind and the forest he would never see again. His long hair caught fire and he bowed his head and kissed the earth beneath him. Tears flowed freely, as much from physical pain as emotional. The Wirewood Hivemaster leaped in the path of the oncoming ball of flames in an attempt to stem its flow of destruction and vanished in a shower of ash. The guardian cried for the wife that he loved, for the children that he would never see grow old and for his beloved forest. As the Fireball washed over him his mind was full of thoughts of trees and animals and nature. The fire cleansed like hellfire washing away all in its path and for the Horn Till Guardian the forest was no more.

Dorgag had proven his superiority and defeated the Guardian. It had only cost him an arm, his good arm but at least it was only one. The women of his clan might find it dashing maybe even attractive. He looked around and found that he alone held the battlefield, well he and the three remaining Goblins. The ground was ruined. The lava and lightning had caused much damage and the trees that had once provide green mana seemed suddenly out of place where they stood. For miles stretched the grassy plains that acted as a border between the Ash Rot Mountains and the Horn Till expanse. Now in the middle of that grassy divider resided a patch of blasted rock, torn earth and contradictory forest. With the battle over and the adrenalin quickly receding Dorgag was raw with fatigue. It was a fatigue that was deeper than muscle and tissue, deeper even than mind and soul. It was a fatigue that affected the bonds that held him to this plane of existence. He knew at a cellular level that if he succumbed to his weariness he would cease to be.

Lethargically He raised the pendant that hung around his neck. He whispered the necessary incantations because he was too tired to speak any louder. Slowly he let a wad of saliva dribble to the ground and just as slowly he lowered the pendant to the puddle. The pendant was of a burnished bronze with precious gems inlaid. The artifact held five stones, a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald, a small diamond and a hunk of onyx. He took painstaking effort to ensure that only the ruby touched the pooling spittle. In a rush the entire world froze and took on a red tint. Dorgag could not breathe. His chest heaved spasmodically and he gasped soundlessly from lack of air. The red grew brighter until all was crimson and no details existed. There came a bright light and a great surge of air. Dorgag's lungs greedily sucked in mouthfuls of air before his eyes could become accustom to the scene before him. The lava, the trees, the rocks, and the leaves had vanished. The surly foulmouthed Goblins were no more. All that remained of the ravaged plain were a few scorch marks left by the bolts of lightning, Dorgag and the Horn Till Guardian. The Guardian's lifeless body lay pale and unmoving. The plain was grassy once more. Dorgag's arm was no longer a stump of ravaged meat and seared flesh. He had no arm from the shoulder down.

The pendant was a War Sentry Shield. Magic users used them to carry themselves and their opponents to another dimension where the real world would be unaffected by the carnage. The Guardian had insisted on using the Shields. He wanted nothing to happen to the natural ecology of the region. Dorgag agreed in order to placate the mage and hasten the confrontation. Looking around he was grateful because he had no desire to navigate the rivers of lava that he had drawn around his self. The War Sentry Shield was an artifact from an ancient time where population growth had claimed every piece of livable land on the planet. No one wanted to risk what little scraps that remained to fight over so the Shield was manufactured as a way to ensure very little collateral damage.

Dorgag, revitalized by the breaking of the Shield and the return of his expended spiritual energies, walked over to the fallen form of the Guardian. With the green mage's soul destroyed within the Shield there was nothing to return to his body when the battle was done. His spirit would not transcend into retro-matter to be summoned one day by another, for his soul was released into the air and then consumed by the victorious Shield. The guardian's soul was now a part of the red wizard's. Dorgag bent down and removed the mage's Shield as well as a small oak necklace the guardian had worn around his neck. Spoils of war and something else. Deep down inside he knew it was of sentimental value to the mage and now to him though he knew not what.

* * *

He buried the guardian with full honors worthy of an equal. The Horn Till Guardian had proven to be a true warrior and deserved to be remembered. A cairn was erected as a memorial and Dorgag said a few remarks in his name. He grabbed his meager belongings and turned back towards his home. He had faced his trial by fire and been victorious. He could claim his name. A name inserted itself within the back of his mind, Karlen Tondak. Without knowing how he was sure that the name had been the guardian's. He walked for a while contemplating when a shadow slowly descended. He turned in time to see a large dragon-like creature fall upon him and then all was black. 


End file.
